Tractor mechanism



f 4July lo, 1928.v Lamm@ W. S. L. ULRICH TRACTOR MECHANISM Filed Nov.24, 1923 3 Shee'f,'s-Shee I l July 1o, 192s. A www4 W. S. L. ULRICHTRACTOR MECHANI SM Filed Nov. 24, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 @zu/672210ZPatented .Fully l il, l 928.

riiieltl.

WILLIAM S. L. ULRICH, OF GRAFTON, ILLINOIS.

TRACTOR TKECIIANISWI.

Application led November 24, 1923.

This invention relates generally to agricultural tractors and moreespecially to a driving' mechanism tor such tractors.

In the vtype or" mechanism used heretofore there have always been partsincluded which re subject to Wear, and which require re- '.ioval lio-radj u .ment to tale up the Wear. I have provitV in my tractor aconstruction for the mechanism such that the part-s subject to wear arereduced to a minimmn. Lileivise the parts which require such adjustmentare so constructed that a single person may readily adjust the partsWit-h simple tools Without disassembling the mechanism in any respect.

It is one object ot my invention to provide a tractor having a frictiondrive of such a construction that repair el the frietion surface is asimple operation and conservative oit' 'triction material.

vIt is @mother object oi my invention to associate with the frictiondrive, a special shiir'ug mechanism for forward, stop and reverse motionivhereby to simplify the parts generally.

I) still another object to provide a novel -lcl 'ustablc thrust hearing`associated with 'the friction drive to permit a sinn'ile adjustmenttlifnfcolZ to taire up Wear caused by the thrust ytrom the frictiondrive.

Still other and ancillary objects and advantages will appear throughoutthe tollo'vving description arising from the construction employed toaccon'iplish the major purposes of the invention.

Generally my mechanism comprises a cone `trictitm gear driven directlyfrom the motor through the trust bearing. An endwise movable sha'ltcarries two cone friction gears adapted to engage the first cone gear totransmit power :in either direction through suitable gearing to thedriving Wheels. The means 'for controlling the endwise motion oi thesha'lft is a double Wedge construction operated by a control. lever.

In the accompanying drawings showing one embodiment of my invention Ihave included the mechanism in a tractor embodying a special trameconstruction more particularly described in my application Ser. No.676,810.k

Fig. l illustrates a plan View of the Whole tractor and mechanism.

Figs. 2 and 3 are detailed views of my adjustable thrust bearing.

Serial No. 676,811.

'. el; illustrates a horizontal section ot .tion driving mechanism.

Figs. 5,16, and 7 show details of the construction et the cone frictiongear.

Fg. 8 shows a view or' the control lever clamp on the steering wheel.

Fig. 9 shows a plan view ot' the shitting device as related to thefriction drive.

Fig. l() shows a. view ot' the shitting mechanism looking at Fig. 9 fromthe right.

Fig. Vli sho xvs a view ot' the shitting mechanism looking on the planeof line ll-ll ot In the drawings the tractor frame illustrated compr sthe tvvo side members ll and lil with suitable cross webs 13, the driviy" wheels 14 and l5 and the guide Wheels 'lo and l?. According to thearrangement ot the tractor described in my application Eier. rio.G'tlll) each driving Wheel may have a separate axle as 1S and i9 and ahull gear 2O meshing with a driving pinion 2l, the latter being locatedon a common drive shaft 22 in the gear mechanism of the tractor.Suitable construction is provided in the tractor tor the operation otthe guide wheels i6 and 1T by the steering Wheel 23, the details ofwhich form no part of this invention.

The forward part or the tractor carries a motor which may be ot' anysuitable type. In. the present instance the motor employed has side lugsE25 which rest upon the trame members ll and l2 and are secured theretoby bolts l lhis construction tends to strengthen the trame horizontally.i

The motor has a crank shaft 27 longitudinally disposed with regard tothe tractor,

having' on one end a fly Wheel 28 and having the other end engaging witha shaft in the mechanism. I have provided the tractor with a largefriction gear 29 of the cone type on a sl ift 30 which abuts the shaft-27. This abutting arrangement results in a thrust from the cone gear. Inpositioning the `abutting shaiits E27 and 30 a flexible connector 3l otany common construction may be used. rlhis is generally illustrated bythe parts and 33 formingI the flexible connector on the shafts 2T and 30respectively. Ordinarily in this type of power transmission, a suitablethrust bearing is interposed to take the end thrust betere the forcethereot enters the motor. I have provided a means for doing this whichis adjustable without removing the parts. rIlhe motor has a bearing 34which litted with lugs These lugs receive the force of the thrustfinally. The moving)l parts take the thrust through a ball bearing 36,one side of which receives the pressure from the flexible joint member32, the other side transmitting` the pressure to a ring` plate 37adjustably mounted with reference to the motor lugs The means formounting.;v the ring' 37 are ordinary bolts 3S with heads 39 and nutsa0. The bolts are threaded into the lups and the nuts 40 serve asclamping or locking nuts which hold the plate 37 in place afteradjustment `is made.

. for a purpose to bev described more fully hereinafter. As to the coneirear itself, I have provided a construction therefor which enables anyunskilled person to renew the friction surface with little effort andwith a minin'ium of wasted material. The cone comprises a plurality oflaminations, preferably of paper. IIeretofore` gears of this clmracterhave used annular dislis for the laminations. which form compels one toremove the wheel or to remove a face plate froi'n the wheel in order torenrw the disks. Il' have provided my wheel with disks which are builtup from suitable seg ments which permit their insertion into the wheelwithout removal of the end plate. I preferA to use two semiscircularsegments to constitutie. one dislt. Using` this form the followingarrangement of the parts is adopted. Alternate disks are similarlyformed .in the gear. with the semi-circular parts in alinement. Theintermediate disks are likewise all. in alinement but staggered as tothe first 1nenti,onedfset, prcferaliily at 909. In using 90O as -thestaggering?r angle, there arev produced. fonr similar seign'ients in thecone gear, The gear shown comprises two cast iron faces secured togetherby bolts between which faces the rfseggmcnts are clamped. One 'facefixed. with respict to the shaft by any preferred construction, in thepresent instance. being integral with a hub Lf6 upon which the otherface t7 is slidable. Bolts 4S with the heads 49 set in the lixed face?clamp the 'faces together by means of the nuts 50.

The bolts 43 are disposed circnmferentially.

about Vthe gear and are in number preferably som-e multiple of four sothat the four similar segments have bolt holes similarlyv locatedtherein. In the present instance there are two bolts in each quartersection. In replacing;4 the gear, all the bolts are loosened, and thosein one half removed. rlhe smallest segment 5l is than removed from thishalf and a new and largev segment 52put in be-` hindz the former,largest segment 53. The

bolts are again replaccch the gea r turned over and the operatiorrepealed. The bolts are then all tightened and the surface edges trimmeddown to the drsircd form. However t is obvious that when a disk is usedhaving.;I other than two simiiar segments, as for instance a similarsegliienitsj there 'will be in the wheel 2" Sections 'formed by thestag,`- gering;I of adjacent disks, so that in order that the holes ineach segment shall be similar, each section 'will be similar and have atleast one hole. lily this arrangement each seg'- ment has a nmnber ofholes therein which is some multiple of Q".

The bevel wheels which engage the friction ge: r in my invention are twoin number.rigl idly secured on the `saine shaft, sufficiently spacedapart so that neither will contact the cone gear 29. `With thisconstruction the sln must be movable endwise and tixed in position toproduce contact between the friction gear and either bevel wheel. Iprovide in my invention a novel means for movingy the shaft endwifte toaccomplish this as will appear "from the 'following description of theform disclosed in the drawings.

The two bevel wheels are relatively large in diameter to give a largesurface for friction engagement. These wheels 54 and 55 are of cast ironand the metallic surface engages the paper surface of the cone gear 29.The endwise movable shaft 56 rests in suitable bearingrs 57 and 58 inthe frame of the tractor. The wheels of the drawings have hub portions59 and 60 which are rigidly fixed to the shaft. Suitable transfer gear-`ing is provided rigid with the shaft 56.

This gearing' may be cut in one of the hubs 59 or GO, but is hereinshown as a separate rear 6l in the form of a toothed cap over the hub 60functioning as a sort. of extension of the hub G0, which. it will beobserved, is shorter than the hub 59. Ring' ball bearings 62 and 63 areprovided adjacent the hubs to take the thrust of a block 64 about theshaft` tractorand isv so cles-e to the shaft 5G and in line tliermv'ithhorizontally that a vertical recess is cnt in the block 64 toaccommodate it. A similar recess is provided on the opposite side of theblock and also a frame block 65 secured to or built in the frame web 13to correspond to the 'endiof bearing- 41. The block 64- thereby becomesan H-block Withv the shaft 56 passing through both sides centrally ofthe H. The sides of the end of bearing 41 and the sides of the block 65are babbitted as shown by 66, these sides being vertical bearings forsuitable wedges 67, G8, 69 and 70. These wedges are arranged induplicate pairs. lVedges 67 and 68 (Figs. 4 and 10) are similarlyproxf'ided with vertical sides 71 to engage the babbitted sides 66 andwith bevelled sides 72 to engage the side of the H-block 64, which hassimilar bevelled sides 72. The bevel sides 72 extend downwardly awayfrom the center of the tractor so that on raising the wedge the shaft 56and bevel wheels are moved positively endwise to the right in Fig. 10.

-Wedges 69 and 70 are similarly provided with vertical sides 7 3 andbevelled sides 74, the H-block 64 being at the other end bevelled at 74to extend parallel to the opposite side 7 2 and downward toward thecenter of the tractor. Lowering the wedges 68 and produces a positivethrust to the left in Fig. 10 on the endwise movable shaft 56. Hence itis obvious that moving all these wedges together' moves the shaft 56positive ly in either direction and maintaining the wedges ixedmaintains the shaft tired. In this manner the shaft is positioned toreceive power in either direction, or not at all, to control the mot-ionof the tractor.

rIhe means for accomplishing` the raising and lowering of the wedues isa simple lever construction. `Wedges 67 and 68 are parts of a singleyoke 7 5 and wedges 69 and 70 are parts of a single yoke 7 6, yoke 75being the one with inverted wedges. Centrally of the yokes is a slot 77in one and 78 in the other in alinement with la pin or rod 79 passingtherethrough. In the head or lug- 44 previously referred to as locatedin the cap of bearing 41 is a. horizontal pivotal pin 80 securing a yokemember 81 thereto. The yoke member is pivotally movable to raise andlower the wedges through the pin 79. The pin 79 is held in a head 92rigid to the yoke 81 by a bracket or arm 88 evtending between them.Extending uprightly from the arm 83 and rigidly a part thereof is acontrol arm 84 which is movahle about the pivot 80 by any suitableconnection near the hand of the operator to cont-rol the powerconnections of the tractor.

The mechanism connecting the gear 61 to the tractor wheels may be anysuitable gearing transmitting the power thereto. For this purpose I haveshown the following: The frame carries a. shaft 85 with a spur `gear 86adapted to mesh with the gear 61 on the sliding shaft. Gears 87 and 88of different diameters are mutually rigid on a splined sleeve 89 on theshaft the gears being shown in adjacent position. The splined sleeve isheld against rotation ley a suitable llzey (not shown) and is furtherheld against longitudinal motion by a set screw 90. The sleeve isslidable to displace the gear 88 to position 91 on the shaft 85 in whichposition it will mesh with a gear 92 rigid on shaft Q2. In the positionshown gears 88 and 92 are out of mesh, but gear 87 is in mesh with agear 98 also rigid on shaft 22. By this arrangement two speeds arepossible in the mechanism, controlled by the setting of the screw 90. Inplace of the latter any other well known means may be provided forshifting the gears, but I prefer this arrangement since all danger' ofstripping` gears is eliminated.

rlhe accommodations provided for the operator include a seat 94 at therear of the tractor, the steering wheel 23 and a suitable means tocontrol the mechanism through the aforesaid lever 84. The lever 84extends upwardly terminating in a head 95 having a hole 96 horizontallytherethrough. Passing through this hole is a rod 97 having a resilientengagement with the lever 84. This is obtained by providing on the rod97 suitable heads or enlargements 98 on cach side of the lever head 95.interposed between the lever head 95 and the heads 98 are compressedsprings 99. The rod 97 extends toward the operator to a suitablelocking` device, terminating in a handle 100 directly in line with thesteering wheel center,l at which it passes through a swivel clamp 101thereon (Fig. The steering wheel shaft 23 is threaded at the top, and awasher 103 placed over the wheel 23. A gland nut 104 holds the wheelsecurely to the shaft. The nut 104 provides a recess hetween its headand washer 103, the lower part 105 of the nut 104 beine' circular incross-section to serve as a pivot. A suitable swivel means is providedabout the portion 105 as the plate 106. Extending upwardly from theswivel plate 10G I provide a retaining means for the control rod 97. Thenature of this may vary, hut I prefer to use the spring clamp shown.This is substantially a U-sliaped spring memberl secured to the swivelplate at the ends 10'.7 and 108 extending' upwardly therefrom to aposition just above the nut 104. At this place eac-h arm branchesinwardly and then again slightly oi'itwardly, as shown at 109 and 110respectively, the top of the member havingan opening larger than the rod97, as the portion 111. Between the two portions 110 the rod is pinchedto secure it against lonfgitudinal movement. It is thus seen that veryslight adjustments can be made in the position of the control rod tovary the friction pressure between the cone friction gears of themechanism.

Illhilc I have illustrated and described an exemplary embodiment of myinvention. I do not wish the invention to be limited by the drawings andthe description thereof, but. desire to include all modifications andllt) embodiments of the invention which are com.- prehendled in theappended claims.

I; claim grainyk invention: i

tractor' driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a motor havingits shaft longitudinally of the tractor,a friction cone gear at the endof said shaft, a thrust bear-v ing on the shaft adjacent the` motor, asecond shaft niovable end wise and disposed at right angl-cs to thefirst shaft, two bevel wheels rigidV with saidv second shaft spacedapart soA that said. wheels may be free from contacting the frictioncone gear, a block` on said shaft longitudinally rigid therewith, awedge arranged. to move said block .in one direction to shift the shaftendwise, whereby one of said bevel wheels engages the friction gear,arellatively inverted wedge arranged to'move. the blockl to. shift theshaft in. the other direction, whereby. tl e other bevel wheel may madeto meshl with the. friction gear to reverse the rotation, of the movableshaft,rmleans tomove said wedges, a gear on the movable shaft, and.other :ears arranged to mesli therewith to drive the tract-o1' wheels.

2. A tractor driving mechanism having, in combination, a power shaft, akfriction cone on said shaft, a driven shaft.. two bevel wheels rigid onthe driven shaft and adapted to, engage one at a time the friction cone,a plurality ofwedges, means retained on sa id shaft against longitudinaln'invement relative thereto and adaptedv to bel engaged by said wedgesto more said shaft positiwly Ain both directions endwise means to holdsaid wedgesin adjusted position, and other. power transfer means fromthe driven shaft to the driving wheels of the tractor.

3. A power transmission having, in com.- hination, a friction cone, ashaft, an engaging bevel. wheel carried by said: shaft and movableaxially to engage the cone, a part 0n said shaft movable axially.therewith, a wedge adapted to engage said. part on the shaft to move thewheel in one direction, an inverted wedge rigid with the first wedge andengaging said part on the shaft to move thel wheel in the oppositedirection` and means to adjust the position of said wedges.

4;, A power transmission having, in combination, a friction cone gear, adriven shaft and a bevel wheel thereon engaging the friction wheel, thebevel wheel being non-rotatable on the shaft, a block rigid with thewheel longitudinally of the shaft, the block having parallel bevelledsurfaces, perpendicular tol a. plane containing' the sha-ft, a wedgedevice movable between the bevel surfaces parallel' to said plane, thewedge device hav. ing bevell'ed surfaces4 adapted to` engage the firstmentioned surfaces to move the wheel positively axially in eitherdirection, and meavnis to maintain the movable wedges in ay fixed path.

5, A power transmission device having, in coignbination, a frame`v anendwise movable shaft inthe frame arranged to be shifted to control thepower transmission, a shifting device comprising, in combinationl` ablock rotatable relativemto the sha-ft, means. to se-,

cure the` block fixed longitudinally relative to the shaft.v the blockhaving a recess on one side of the shaft, a part on the frameprojecting, into. said recess to held the block non-i-'otatalil-e withrespect tothe frame, the` cmlsof the. recess extending laterally bevondthe block on both sides whereby the block and shaft are slidable withrespect tor the frame, the, lateral sides of said recess having parallelbevel surfaces, the. block havingmutually parallel side faces facingthe, bevelled surfaces of the recess and rigid wedges filling the endportions of the recess, the, wedges beingV movable therein to shift theblock and shaft longitudinally.

6. A tractor driving 'mechanism having, in combination, a drivenfriction cone, a shaft to be driven, an. engaging bevel wheel. rigid onsaid shaft and movable axially therewith to engage the friction conc,means retained on said shaft against relative longitudinal movement,ysaid means having thereon a pair of spaced complementarybeveledsurfaces, a wedge adapted to engage one` surface to move the engagingwheel.v in one. direction, an inverted wedge rigid with the first wedgeengaging the other of said beveled surfaces` to move the wheel in, theyopposite direction` and means to adjust the.

position of said wedges.

In testimony whereof, I have-hereunto alliXd. my signature.

VILLIAM S. L. ULRICH.

